All it takes is a single exposure, and Shaelyn is hooked. Something that she wanted nothing to do with, even days prior, suddenly becomes her very favorite thing in the world.
This time it was the theater. Plays, musicals, dramatic adaptations, you name it - all completely heinous to the girl before her theatrical debut as Pocahontas in our preschool Thanksgiving play. After her stint as Pocahontas? The girl can't get enough of costumes, curtains, narrators, lines, acting, and even the occasional singing.
Now plays have become an almost daily routine in our house. She usually writes them, casts them, directs them, and, of course, stars in them. Sometimes they are one-woman shows. Sometimes they involve a whole cast of imaginary or inanimate objects. Always there are costumes, and always, a stage.
So when I passed a church's sign on Sunday that said "Live drive-thru Nativity tonight," I knew a little girl who would be excited to see COSTUMES! Christmas costumes!
I wasn't wrong. We had to drive through multiple times. Shaelyn wanted her window down the entire time, so she could wave to all the different characters as we passed. It was well done. And made me miss the days when we did live nativities or pageants in the wards and stakes where I grew up.
It didn't hurt that they had a camel out front you could pet. And Shaelyn, drama-queen of the universe, did not flinch even the slightest when the camel practically licked her face.
On the way home, all she could talk about was how she wanted to dress up, how she wanted to be Mary, how she wanted to put on a play of the Christmas story. Perfect! We put her in charge of Family Home Evening, and spent the afternoon gathering necessary items for props and costumes. That night, we put on our pageant.
There was a motley crew for the cast. Daddy claims he grew his beard out just so he could play Joseph for this big event. Mommy couldn't be fooled by that claim. Mommy played a pregnant shepherd. And even more inappropriate, a pregnant wise man. Rachelle the angel couldn't stop screaming about every little thing. And Shaelyn, as Mary, kept giving birth too early to her towel that served as both a fake pregnant belly and the swaddling clothes for the baby.
In spite of those things, it was a great family experience. After 3 consecutive Family Home Evenings on the Christmas story, I think it's safe to say that Shaelyn could tell you the details in her sleep. Even Rachelle loves pointing out "Baby Jesus" and "Mommy" every time she sees a nativity. We're happy the girls are learning about, not just the "reason for the season," but the reason for it all - the entire plan of salvation. That a Father loved His children enough to sacrifice His Son so they all could return to Him.
All considered, it was a magical night.
